Agenda item

Sharon Thompson (Head of Planning Applications Group) was in attendance for this item.

1.    Miss Carey introduced her proposed key decision to approve and publish for public consultation evidence relating to an update of the Kent Minerals Sites Plan, for a minimum six-week period of public consultation in line with Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012; approve and publish for public consultation further proposed changes to the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2024-39 and associated supporting evidence, for a minimum six-week period of public consultation in line with Regulation 18 of the Regulations; agree revised timetables for preparation of the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2024-39 and updated Kent Minerals Sites Plan to be published in an updated Minerals and Waste Local Development Scheme; and delegate to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport the authority to approve any non-material changes to the consultation documents in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment prior to their publication for consultation. She thanked members of the cross-party Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2024-39 Informal Members Group for their work and support.

2.    Mrs Thompson provided a technical overview of the proposal. She explained that there was a statutory requirement to review Minerals and Waste Local Plans every five years. It was noted that public consultation was sought on changes to the strategy, hard rock minerals sites plan, and local development scheme timetable. She highlighted the proposals to remove the strategic site allocation at Norwood Quarry, Sheppey for the landfill of hazardous waste and remove the provision for the management of non-hazardous residual waste produced in London, owing to London’s plan to be self-sufficient in the management of such waste by 2026. She emphasised that no decision had been taken on the allocation of new hard rock sites.

3.    Following a question from the chairman, Mrs Thompson confirmed that the alternative to a new hard rock site in Kent would be import to meet the county’s needs, which would incur a significant increase in carbon emissions.

RESOVLED to endorse the Cabinet Member responsible for the Minerals and Waste Local Plan in respect of her decision to:

      i.        approve and publish for public consultation evidence relating to an update of the Kent Minerals Sites Plan, for a minimum six-week period of public consultation in line with Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (the Regulations);

    ii.        approve and publish for public consultation further proposed changes to the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2024-39 and associated supporting evidence, for a minimum six-week period of public consultation in line with Regulation 18 of the Regulations;

   iii.        agree revised timetables for preparation of the Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2024-39 and updated Kent Minerals Sites Plan to be published in an updated Minerals and Waste Local Development Scheme; and

   iv.        delegate to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport the authority to approve any non-material changes to the consultation documents in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment prior to their publication for consultation.